By pitpass.com (03/04/2004)
April 3 2004

As the drivers prepare for the all-important second half of the session, the air temperature is 32 degrees with a track temperature of 51 degrees. At 14:00 Zsolt Baumgartner leaves the Minardi garage, the main qualifying session is underway.

The Hungarian completes the first sector in 30.7 going on to completed the second in 41.4. At the line it's 1:35.787, hardly what you'd call a benchmark, he's slower than he was in the first session. More fuel perhaps?

Teammate Gianmaria Bruni is next out. At the first split it's 30.4, he's already 0.3s up on his teammate. At the second split it's 40.8 followed by a 1:34.584 at the line. The Italian takes provisional pole by 1.203s.

Jordan's Giorgio Pantano takes to the track. At the first split he posts 30.8, he's slower than Baumgartner. He hits a bollard at the next corner, but he's able to continue. At the second split he's picked up time, posting 40.3. At the line it's 1:34.105, he goes quickest, but why was he so slow in that first sector.

Nick Heidfeld is next, the German must be feeling it's a question of fire and frying pans after his move from Sauber to Jordan. At the first split it's 30.4 followed by a 40s at the second, fastest so far in that sector. The German crosses the line at 1:33.506 to take provisional pole, quicker than his teammate by 0.599.

Felipe Massa is on track in the Sauber, the Brazilian really pushing the Sauber C23, not the sort of car that you'd want to push. 30.5 at the first split followed by a 39.3 at the second, that quickest so far. 1:32.536, he goes quickest by 0.970, a brave performance in a horrible car.

At the first break it's Massa followed by Heidfeld, Pantano, Bruni and Baumgartner.

Malaysia qualifying hero Mark Webber is next out, he's been outpaced by his Austrian teammate for much of the weekend thus far. Than again, both drivers are new to this track, is that the difference?

At the first split the Australian posts 30.8, going very wide at turn five. At the second split it's 39.3, he's down on Massa. At the line the Jaguar driver posts 1:32.625 to go second. Not a great lap and probably not good enough for the top ten.

Teammate Christian Klien is next out, the Austrian posting the fastest time of the session in the first sector. He loses a little time in the second sector, but overall he's still quickest. At the line it's 1:32.332, he takes pole by 0.204s but more importantly (for him) he's quicker than his teammate.

All eyes on David Coulthard in the McLaren, the Woking team having a difficult weekend. It's 29.9 at the first split, the Scot really attacking. He locks up at turn ten be continues to push, completing the second sector in 39.1. At the line it's 1:31.719, he takes pole by 0.613. A strong lap but it's doubtful if he'll be in the top six come the end of the session.

Toyota's Cristiano da Matta is on track, the Japanese team needs a boost this weekend. At the first split it's 29.7, he's quickest so far. He loses time in the second sector, finally crossing the line at 1:31.717 to go quickest by 0.002s. Great first and final sectors but a poor second sector.

Last out before the second break is fellow Brazilian Rubens Barrichello. 29.5, he's fastest of the lot through the first sector. He's still quickest in the second sector, 38.7. At the line the Ferrari driver posts 1:30.530 to take pole by 1.187s, fastest in all three sectors, a nice clean lap.

Barrichello, da Matta, Coulthard, Klien, Massa, Webber, Heidfeld, Pantano, Bruni and Baumgartner.

Next out is Giancarlo Fisichella, who has yet to out-qualify Massa this season. At the first split the Italian posts 29.8, over a second faster than his teammate. His second sector isn't quite as good, he loses a little time. At the line it's 1:31.731, he's fourth (for now), but ahead of his teammate by 0.8s.

Takuma Sato is on track in the BAR, much is expected of the Brackley team this weekend, indeed this season, after a strong start to the year. At the first split it's 29.7, he's only 0.2s down on Barrichello. At the second split 38.6, he's fastest of the lot in that sector. Over the line it's 1:30.827 to go second by 0.297, a brilliant performance by the Japanese driver.

Teammate Jenson Button is next out. At the first split the Englishman posts 29.6, he's down on Barrichello but it's marginal. At the second split he posts 38.9, he's lost more time. At the line it's 1:30.856, which puts him third, behind his teammate, for the first time this year.

Renault's Jarno Trulli is on track. At the first split it's 29.4, he's quickest of the lot in that sector. He loses a little time in the second sector, eventually crossing the line at 1:30.971 to go fourth by 0.441s.

Last out before the final break is teammate Fernando Alonso who goes way too wide at turn one, losing him nearly a second. It's a wild, uncharacteristic lap, he finishes the second sector in 39s. At the final corner he goes wide again throwing up sand, a wild, erratic lap. At the line it's 1:34.130, which puts him thirteenth, ahead of the tow Minardis and behind the Jordans.

At the final break the order is Barrichello, Sato, Button, Trulli, da Matta, Coulthard, Fisichella, Klien, Massa and Webber.

First of the 'big five' out is Olivier Panis. At the first split the Frenchman posts 29.8, he's 0.3s down on Barrichello. At the second split it's 39.5, he's lost a lot of time in that sector. At the line it's 1:31.686, which puts him fifth, ahead of his teammate.

Six-time World Champion Michael Schumacher takes to the track. He locks up at the first corner but still posts a 29.5 at the first split. At the second split it's 38.7, he's marginally up on his teammate. At the line it's 1:30.139, he takes provisional pole by 0.391, despite a couple of lock-ups.

Kimi Raikkonen returns to the pits after his out lap, the Finn will not post a time. However when you consider that he was going to forfeit ten grid places anyway, perhaps the team has made some sort of tactical decision.

Therefore if Ferrari is to be prevented from taking its third pole of the season, it's all down to the williamsF1 duo of Juan Pablo Montoya and Ralf Schumacher.

The Colombian is first out. The Colombian is pushing the FW26 to the absolute limit, completing the first sector in 29.3, he's quickest so far. At the second split it's 38.6, he loses a little time but is still quickest overall. 1:30.581 at the line, somehow he lost time in the final sector, which puts him third on the grid with teammate Ralf Schumacher yet to post a time.

At the first split the German posts 29.3, he's quicker than his brother. He's pushing hard, completing the second sector in 39s, he's lost time. At the line it's 1:30.633, which puts him fourth, behind his teammate.

Another all-red front row as WilliamsF1 fails to live up to its pre-qualifying promise. That said, once again there's a major question mark regarding strategy.

Schumacher starts from pole ahead of Barrichello, followed by Montoya, Ralf, Sato, Button, Trulli, Panis, da Matta and Coulthard.

Other than the red cars, Michelin clearly has the edge, while BAR will be extremely happy to have both of its cars starting ahead of the Renaults and McLarens.

The big surprises in this session? Alonso's erratic lap, especially as it comes two weeks after his over-ambitious effort in Malaysia. Then there's Raikkonen's decision to return to his garage after his out lap. Toyota will be delighted with eighth and ninth, but can the Japanese team convert this into a result on Sunday?

Klien outpaces Webber while Fisichella out-qualifies his teammate Felipe Massa.

All in all we have the prospect of a fascinating race tomorrow, though sadly once again it seems that strategy is at work rather than flat-out, in your face racing.

Will it be another win for Michael, or does BAR and indeed WilliamsF1 have something up its sleeve.

All will be revealed in due course.

This article was written by pitpass.com and is used with permission.